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September 26: Student Holiday (Rosh Hashanah)
September 29: Upper AAP Family Information Night
October 3: Parent Workshop 9:30am
October 5: Holiday (school/office closed)
October 10: Student Holiday (Indigenous Peoples' Day)
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 FB Upper Fall 2022 AAP Newsletter.pdf
Message from our Parent Liaison, Ms. Elliott
School Hours/School Year Calendar
As you prepare for the new school year, please note that our school hours remain 9:20 am-4:05 pm. Fort Belvoir Primary doors will open at 9:00am daily. Students arriving after 9:20 am should be escorted into the main office to be signed in by a parent. We ask that no changes in transportation arrangements be made during the first month of school. After then, for changes in dismissal arrangements, please send an email message to FBESUpperOfficeStaff@fcps.edu indicating the change for the day. We understand that dismissal changes are sometimes necessary after children have arrived at school; however, please do not make changes after 3:30 pm.
Please see the following link, here, for the updated school calendar. Please note, there are student holidays and early release dates scheduled throughout the school year.
Visiting School
We love having families visit school! Please note that you must have a valid driver’s license, DMV-issued identification or a valid passport in order to enter the school building. You will be asked to show the ID on the video system in order to gain access to the building and will be asked to sign in using this ID on the computer in the main lobby. This system is used throughout the school district and cross-references sex/violent offender databases across the country. This is an important step to keep our students safe, and we appreciate your cooperation.
Student Rights and Responsibilities
In June 2022, the FCPS 2022-23 Student Rights and Responsibilities (SR&R) were updated to include new expectations for cell phone use that are specific to each school level: elementary, middle, high, and secondary. The new cell phone expectations were established to help foster a learning environment that is conducive to learning.
Students in grades K-6: Phones must be silenced and in backpacks for the duration of the school day. Smart watches that serve a dual purpose may be worn, but the phone features (texting, Internet viewing, and calls) are to be off when phone use is prohibited. Students are prohibited from using phones, tablets, and other mobile devices in restrooms and locker rooms, unless there is a medical necessity or emergency. Teachers may allow usage of cell phones for instructional activities when appropriate. Cell phones may be used on campus before and after school only.
FCPS understands that students may need to access a cell phone or other personally owned device as an accommodation to access the curriculum, make progress toward their individualized goals, or address medical or other needs.
The Updates to FCPS’ Student Rights and Responsibilities (SR&R) web page outlines changes to cell phone use for the 2022-2023 school year. Visit the SR&R web page to learn more and to log on to your SIS ParentVue account and sign to acknowledge review of this document OR print, sign, and return this form to your child’s school by September 30, 2022.
Family Life Education Instructional
Program Information
Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) provides a comprehensive, sequential Family Life Education (FLE) program for students in grades kindergarten through grade twelve. Instruction is seen as a partnership among parents and guardians, the school, and the community in supporting the learning essential to the development of strong families, positive relationships, and a healthy community.
Parents/guardians may choose to opt their child out of all or part of the Family Life Education program. Students who are opted out are provided with age-appropriate, nonpunitive alternative health instruction, and every effort is made to foster respect for family choices. If you wish to opt your child out of all or part of FLE for this school year, opt out forms will be included in your child’s back-to-school/orientation packets and are available online for Elementary (K-6), Middle School (7-8), and High School (9-12). Please fill in the opt-out form and return it to your child’s school prior to Family Life Education instruction.
Detailed grade-level program descriptions are available online at Elementary (K-6) , Middle School (7-8) , and High School (9-12). FLE grade level-specific lessons and media that FCPS has streaming rights for are available for parents online in Schoology. Parents/guardians login to Schoology using the same username and password as their Student Information System (SIS) Parent account. Grade level-specific lessons are also available at the City of Fairfax Regional Library (this location does not have media). Grade level-specific lessons and media that is not streamed online are available for review at your child’s school library. Due to copyright permissions, we are unable to stream all media online.
Program questions may be addressed at your child’s school or by contacting Instructional Services at 571-423-4550 or fle@fcps.edu.
Update Emergency Care Contacts in SIS
Fairfax County Public Schools is committed to ensuring that the climate in all FCPS facilities is safe and secure. In support of this goal, FCPS provides weCare@school (weCare), an emergency care information system, available to FCPS parents and guardians who have registered for their own Parent account.
weCare helps manage emergency medical information by enabling parents to go online to enter and update their children’s medical data at their convenience. Contact information provided automatically enrolls parents to receive eNotify communications from the district and their child’s school. eNotify is the communications tool for FCPS emergency, transportation, attendance, weather closings and delays, and essential outreach messages. Messages are sent via email and text messages. Occasional phone messages are sent as well
Get more information about updating your emergency care information.
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Superintendent Community Conversations
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Please save the date for a very special event! Dr. Michelle Reid, FCPS superintendent, will host a Community Conversation at Mount Vernon High School on October 3, 6:30-7:30 p.m. This event will be a unique opportunity to help Dr. Reid get to know our school community and learn more about her vision for our district.
Language interpretation will be provided, as available, as well as child care and light refreshments. Please register here to attend.
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Safety Drills During the School Year
Keeping students and staff safe is a priority for all of us. Each school has an emergency preparedness plan to respond to incidents such as fires and tornadoes. Schools are required by state law to practice emergency drills, including lockdown drills, each year. Schools are required to notify parents and guardians at least 24 hours before a school conducts a lockdown drill. However, schools are not required to give the specific date and time of the drill in advance.
The first lockdown drill of the school year must take place within the first 20 days of school. Preschool and kindergarten students are exempt from practicing the first lockdown drill.
Your child may come home and talk about their experience during the drill. We encourage you to talk with your child about the importance of being prepared for emergencies. Here are some helpful tips for families to use to support their students before and after school lockdown drills.
Working together, we create a safe, secure environment for students to learn and grow in our schools.
Trust Policy
You may have heard that the Fairfax County School Board approved a Trust Policy that solidifies our commitment to foster a caring culture and strives to provide a safe, welcoming, and inclusive space for all students and families.
This policy aligns with Fairfax County’s Public Trust and Confidentiality Policy to ensure that FCPS students and families can access FCPS benefits and services without fear that information will be disclosed, directly or indirectly, to federal immigration officials.
The school division is already performing much of the work referenced in the Trust Policy. The policy, along with the upcoming regulation, will serve to solidify our efforts, so all FCPS staff, students, and families have a common understanding of the policy.
Every FCPS employee plays an important part in carrying out the Trust Policy and will demonstrate cultural responsiveness in supporting families, students, and other staff by protecting the privacy of personally identifiable information (PII) of students and families. Employees will follow a clear, standardized process for requesting, accessing, or disclosing prohibited personal information as outlined in FCPS Regulations 2202 and 4220.
Additional information is available in multiple languages on FCPS’ Trust Policy webpage. Please email FCPS’ Office of Professional Learning and Equity, OPLFE@fcps.edu, with questions about the policy.
Understanding the Dangers of Opioid Use
In Northern Virginia, the opioid epidemic continues to impact communities including young adults, and sometimes school-age children. Tragically, this can lead to devastating outcomes. There are three things you can do now, to support student wellness and increase understanding of the dangers of opioids and fentanyl:
- Talk with children and loved ones in your life about the dangers of drug use, especially opioids. For more information, tips on how to recognize and prevent substance abuse, and available support services, watch this webinar.
- Safely store and dispose of medications to prevent drug misuse.
- Sign up for a Virtual REVIVE! training class to learn how to recognize the signs and symptoms of opioid overdose and administer naloxone nasal spray to reverse an opioid overdose.
Learn more about the dangers of opioids and available resources on our website. Visit the Student Safety and Wellness webpage for more information about a variety of topics related to student wellbeing.
FCPS Cares!
The FCPS CARES Program is an opportunity for parents, staff, and community members to recognize FCPS employees for going above and beyond to help others and show they care. We invite you to submit your story, so we can all acknowledge the good work of FCPS employees at Fort Belvoir Upper ES. We love our FBES staff members, let's tell them how we feel!
2022-23 School Year Calendar
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